Flying Dutchman Superior Puzzle Blades breaking

[crisw]

I've just started making jigsaw puzzles. I'm using 1/4" Baltic birch plywood. I am making them for kids, so I am making only 16-20 pieces in an 8 x 10" puzzle. I got an order of the Superior Puzzle blades from Mike and I am breaking an awful lot of them! I like the way they cut, but I am going through about 3 blades for each of these uncomplicated puzzles. I can cut an entire puzzle with a regular #2 blade and not have it break. Is this high breakage rate usual?

[Okie_Arkie_Wood_Cutter]

I have just started cutting puzzles and I'm also using Mike's Puzzle blades. I have cut one out of 1/4 Oak ply and 2 out of 1/4" poplar. I cut all three of them with a single blade. My puzzles were smaller than yours. They were two graduations cards and a think you card with farmer and his tractor. No broke blades.... I had between 16 and 20 pieces per card.

darrell, the okiearkie

[crisw]

I read a few other threads here that detailed a similar problem (but I didn't see a solution.). I am not putting excess pressure on the blades. I am not doing tight angle turns. The blades are just as likely to break on the straight cuts. They are breaking in the middle.

[PeteB]

If by "in the middle", you mean where the wood contacts the blade, then the problem is too much friction, i.e., excessive tension, saw speed, or feed rate.

Feed rate is not likely the problem with your first puzzle. For saw speed, I like about 1100-1200spm, and break a lot of blades if I go much faster. Could be because of vibration in my case.

Tension is very tricky with these little blades. Too much, and they pop where they meet the wood. Too little, and they break above (usually) or below the piece due to flexing.

[3_M]

The problem is with the glue in the Baltc birch. Glue heats up the blades fast.
Why don't you contact me and I will send you a sample of the FD-TC # 2/0 and the FD-UR # 1.
Mike

[lucky788scroller]

Ive cut puzzles using the puzzle blade and bbply and havent had any trouble. I cut a card size puzzle (about 5 by 7) with 60 pieces, many tight turns using one blade.I also did a business card size puzzle with about 20 pieces using just one blade.

[utbva]

I have had mixed results. Sometimes I can cut quite a few pieces and other times I can only cut about 10 pieces before a blade breaks. I use both the FD puzzle blades and the Pegus Puzzles blades and have liked them both. Sometimes one will work better than the other depending upon the cutting I am doing. It seems that the Pegus blades will let me do a better job of line cutting than the FD blades. I really don't know why. They both seem to last about the same length of time.

[earlinjax]

I think there must be a variance in blades and the technique we use. I posted a plaque I did in another thread. When I was cutting the Christ figure I used both FD and Pegus blades that I have liked. Neither was working well. Went to another blade and it worked fine. Why? Don't know. But, I am glad I keep a variety of blades at hand. Using one type for everything just does not work for me.

Earl

[Carter Johnson]

Somehow, Cris, you're either working with wood that's extremely hard or you're simply pushing too hard. I have used Mike's Superior Puzzle blades for many years for all my full-size and card-size puzzles. I couldn't be happier. I had one a couple weeks ago that cut almost 400 pieces before it finally gave out.

With BB I can usually cut about 50 pieces. With poplar is runs about 150 on average. I change blades when they become dull. I very very seldom have one break.

Keep trying - with less pressure - and have phun

Carter

[GrayBeard Phil]

CRISW:

Chuck a new FD puzzle blade up, and run it without cutting wood. Does it break before 10 minutes are up? If so, the problem is not your wood or your cutting technique.

I also have the same problem as you with the FD puzzle blade having a very short life. 2/0 blades are only slightly longer life, but not much. #1 blades are the smallest blades by old saw seems to be able to use.

Phil